Angels Official Website: Prospect Watch: Top 10 second basemen

[AngelsWin.com]

Last year's top second-base prospect, Jedd Gyorko, graduated to the Major Leagues, clearing the path for Kolten Wong to take over the top spot. He is one of three holdovers from last year's Top 10, while seven newcomers have joined their ranks.

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[Mark68]

This makes Howie someone who can be traded for more pitching. Lindsey is ready for at least average major league duty now. There will probably be growing pains at first, but nothing that the rest of the lineup shouldn't be able to make up for.

[Docwaukee]

the amount of production Howie provides above what Lindsey and/or Green would give us right now is fairly substantial.  As it's been indicated that Howie alone isn't enough to get the type of major league starter we currently need then there should be no rush to move him for prospects.  If the team isn't in contention by the trade deadline, then you could move him in the right deal. 

[Second Base]

I'm not a fan of Howie and think he's considerably overrated. He's a bottom of the order hitter with production that doesn't match his talent and a knack for booting the most routine double play balls. But even I think we need to hold onto Howie until at least the all-star break of more likely until next winter until we know Green or Lindsey can take over.

I look forward to the day when Lindsey, Green, Cron, Calhoun and Trout are all regulars in this lineup.

[wopphil]

I'm not a fan of Howie and think he's considerably overrated. He's a bottom of the order hitter with production that doesn't match his talent and a knack for booting the most routine double play balls. But even I think we need to hold onto Howie until at least the all-star break of more likely until next winter until we know Green or Lindsey can take over.

I look forward to the day when Lindsey, Green, Cron, Calhoun and Trout are all regulars in this lineup.

You are being over critical. His OPS+ the last three years is 116, and he is an above-average defender. He would not be easy to replace.

[Second Base]

Been through it before, won't go through it again.  We disagree, I think he's failed to play up to his talent both in the field and in the batter's box and would easily be replaced and even exceeded by a decent prospect.  Green would likely be his equal in the batter's box but was a train wreck in the field, so he isn't ready to take over yet.  Lindsey would be his equal if not better in the field but would struggle at the plate.  This is why we cannot replace him yet. 

 

Give it a year and Green will be acceptable at his new positing at second base and Lindsey will have progressed far enough with his bat to make losing Kendrick acceptable.  It'd be nice to have the 9 million he's being paid off the books.  And if we're wondering how other teams value Howie on the trade market, consider this: The White Sox wouldn't trade Hector Santiago for him. 

 

Kendrick won't be the Angels starting second baseman in 2015.  

[nikkachez]

This is the only reason I could see the Angels trading Howie. But they should hold onto Howie definitely. Crazy to think about another lefty in the lineup though, we went from a team with no true lefties in the lineup into a team with Hamilton, Ibanez, Calhoun, Shuck, Lindsey, and Borenstein potentially on his way. 

[Angelsjunky]

Like Garret Anderson a few years ago, Howie is both over and underrated. Over-rated because he hasn't lived up to his potential as displayed by his Hornsbyian dominance in the minor leagues, and under-rated because he's still been an above average player for most of his career. His 11.3 WAR over the last three years ranks him 6th among all major league second basemen - not far behind Brandon Phillips and the over-rated Ian Kinsler, whose been about equally valuable to Howie over the last two years (both had career years in 2011, Kinsler's being especially good - 7.3 fWAR compared to Howie's 5.7).

 

Anyhow, if the Angels could have gotten a talented young starter for Howie they would have traded him. But the market wasn't three, especially when Infante was signed. If the Angels are out by the trade deadline, he'll likely be traded, but more likely he'll be traded in the offseason.